Tray for card edge connectors

ABSTRACT

A package for carrying card edge connectors and the like and for use with automatic storage and retrieval systems and with robotic-equipped insertion tools. The package includes support means for supporting connectors and spaces between the support means for receiving pins depending from the connectors.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 703,794, filed Feb. 21, 1985,abandoned.

Until very recently, the mwethod for mounting connectors on a circuitboard required a worker to first loosely position the connectors on theboard; i.e., he would place the depending pins in the plated throughholes in the board. The board would then be placed in an insertion toolor press and the compliant sections on the depending pins forced in theholes to securely mount the connectors. With this method, the way theconnectors were stored and delivered to the work station was not ofparticular significance. Generally they were loaded into long cartons ina sideways fashion; i.e., the connectors were placed with the endsabutting the sidewalls. The worker simply lifted the connectors out ofthe carton as he needed them.

The use of robots has now changed the above-mentioned method. In itsplace, the following steps, very generally and broadly stated, aretaken. Connectors, at the place of manufacture, are loaded into traysconstructed in accordance with the embodiments of the inventiondisclosed herein. These trays are dimensioned and are of materialssuitable for use with automatic storage and retrieval systems. The enduser receives the trays in large containers from which they are removedas needed. The removed trays are placed in a feeder station in a stack.Upon receiving the appropriate signal, the bottom tray is moved into aslanted feeding position. Due to the nature of the tray, the connectorsslide out of an end of the tray onto rails which lead downward to ahorizontal work space. A robot arm picks up the connectors from the workspace and places them onto the circuit board. The emptied tray isautomatically removed from the feeder station and a filled one takes itsplace for unloading as required.

According to the present invention, a tray for shipping and automaticstoring, retrieving and unloading electrical connectors or the likehaving depending pins at robotic-equipped insertion tools is disclosed.The tray includes an elongated floor having a plurality of parallelsupport means on which connectors, positioned end-to-end, are supported,and which define, in cooperation, spaces therebetween for receiving pinsdepending from such connectors. Side walls and an end wall on at leastone end are also included.

For a better understanding of the invention, a description will now beprovided with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a multiple cavity tray constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 in FIG. 1 showingconstruction of the tray;

FIG. 3 is an end view of a pair of stacked trays of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of another embodiment of a multiple-cavitytray;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view of FIG. 4 tray looking into the interior; and

FIG. 7 is a view of a FIG. 4 tray looking at one non-removable end wallhaving a window.

Referring now to FIG. 1, tray 10 includes floor 12, side walls 14, andat back end 16, an end wall 18. Front end 20 is not closed off andaccordingly is referred to in the alternative as open end 20.

Side walls 14 include outer wall 14-a, inner wall 14-b and top surface14-c. The outer wall is at a slight inclination relative to the verticalwith the inclination being inwardly towards the top surface. End wall 18also includes outer wall 18-a with a like inclination, inner wall 18-band top surface 18-c.

A plurality of parallel support means 22 extend along the length of thefloor and are spaced apart a predetermined distance to definepin-receiving spaces 24 therebetween. The upper portion 26 of eachsupport means is reduced in width to provide an upwardly facing shoulder28 on both sides. The inside surface of each side wall includes anupwardly facing shoulder 28 also. The reduced width upper portion 26, orsegment of such, is also present on each side wall.

Side walls 14 are wide and, in the preferred embodiment, hollow.Similarly, end wall 18 is relatively wide and also hollow.

Floor 12, the support means thereon, side walls 14, and end wall 18collectively form the upper portion of tray 10. With reference to FIG. 2as well as FIG. 1, skirt 30 forms the lower portion of the tray anddefines a downwardly open cavity 31. The skirt preferably includes aflange 30-a at the free end thereof. In the present embodiment, astiffening member 32 is placed within the skirt and against the bottomsurface or underside of floor 12. Member 32 may be a corrugated pad, asshown.

Tray 10 is vacuum formed, using clear polyvinylchloride as a material.The thickness is about 0.020 inches (0.508 mm) to provide a verylightweight tray.

Tray 10 has been developed to receive card edge connectors 34, FIGS. 1and 3, therein at the place of connector manufacture, and for use insubsequent handling, storage, shipping and unloading of the connectorsat their place of use, i.e., at the press which inserts the connectorsonto printed circuit boards. Further, the trays have been dimensionedand made from the above-mentioned material so that they may be used inautomatic storage and retrieval systems and in automatic unloading atthe work station in conjunction with robotic applications.

Stackability of the trays is of primary importance. FIG. 3 shows twotrays stacked one on top of the other. The side walls 14 of the lowertray fits into cavity 31 defined by skirt 30 of the upper tray due tothe slight inclination of the walls and skirt mentioned above. The topsurfaces 14-c of the lower tray side walls provide the support for theupper tray, as the drawing in FIG. 3 indicates.

The portion of skirt 30 extending across the front of the upper trayserves to confine connectors 34 in the lower tray. If desired, a coverformed from the lower portion of a tray can be provided for the toppackage in a stack.

FIGS. 1 and 3 show how connectors 34 are loaded into the tray. Shoulders28 on adjacent support means receive the bottom edge walls 36 anddepending pins 38 on the connectors extend down into pin-receivingspaces 24.

The connectors are placed end-to-end from front end 20 to back end 16.As illustrated, only edge walls 36 contact package 10, i.e., theupwardly facing shoulders 28. This feature, along with the smoothsurface provided by the material used, results in the connectors slidingvery freely along the shoulders under the slightest inducement such astilt of the tray of about thirty-five degrees, more or less. The abilityof the connectors to move along the shoulders and out front end 20permits the use of automatic unloading.

One method of use is generally outlined below. None of the machinery,etc., is shown; however, those skilled in the art will readilyunderstand. The stacked trays are placed in a feeder station at thepress site. On signal from the robot (or other triggering devices), thebottom-most tray is readied for feeding by being removed from the skirtof the tray immediately above and then being tilted. The connectorsslide off the support means and onto inclined rails leading to ahorizontal work space. The robot picks a connector from the work spaceand places it on a circuit board for subsequent mounting by a connectorinsertion press.

FIGS. 4 through 7 illustrate another tray for similar use as package 10.Tray 40 is elongated and includes floor 42, inclined side walls 44, topwall 46 and end wall 48 (FIG. 5) at back end 50. Front end 52 of tray 40is open. The floor and walls define tray cavity 54.

A plurality of parallel, inverted U-spaced support means 56 are providedon floor 42. The support means are spaced apart laterally to definepin-receiving spaces 58 therebetween. Each support means includes sides60 and surface 62 connecting the sides. The support means extend fromend-to-end of the tray.

The inclination of side walls 44 is inwardly from floor 42 to top wall46. A laterally projecting flange 64 is provided where the side wallsand floor meet.

Top wall 46 joins the two side walls and provides a base for spacers 66which are on the inside surface of the wall and project into the cavity.They extend from end-to-end of the tray except for short breaks requiredby the presence of reinforcing member 68. Each space projects downwardlytowards the center of a pin-receiving space 58, i.e., the midpointbetween adjacent support means. There are no spacers between the supportmeans adjacent side walls 44 and those side walls; the side wallsprovide or function as spacers.

The aforementioned reinforcing member 68 wraps around the side walls andtop wall and substantially strengthens the tray.

FIG. 5 is a sectioned view showing the interior of the tray and theclosed back end.

Tray 40 is vacuum formed. The material used is a polyvinylchloride andhas a thickness of about 0.030 inches (0.762 mm). The length isdependent upon the facilities with which the tray is used. The method ofmaking noted above lends itself to providing any length required.

The tray receives connectors 34 by sliding them in on surfaces 62 onsupport means 56 with the connector pins 38 straddling the means andextending into spaces 58. As with tray 10, the connectors are positionedon each support means end-to-end. The connectors are confined laterallyby the aforementioned straddling and by spacers 66 depending from topwall 46. FIGS. 4 and 6 illustrate the loading and confining.

As with tray 10, tray 40 has been developed for use with automaticstorage and retrieval systems and for automatic loading and unloading.The connectors slide very readily along surface 62 on support means 56.

FIG. 7 shows a tray 40 with an alternative end wall on the back end.This end wall, indicated by reference numeral 70, includes window 72through which a worker can monitor the presence or absence of connectors34 within the tray.

The open end 52 of the tray may be temporarily closed by tape or thelike.

The trays described above and illustrated in the drawings were developedfor use with card edge connectors. Clearly, trays can be developed usingthe disclosed inventive concepts for use with other kinds of connectors.

I claim:
 1. A tray for supporting electrical connectors of the typehaving an elongated dielectric housing member with which electricalterminals are secured, the electrical terminals having terminal pinsextending outwardly from a bottom surface of the housing member, saidtray comprising a sheet of molded or vacuum formed plastic material andhaving side walls, a floor, an open end, and a closed end, said floorhaving thereon a plurality of spaced-apart, upwardly projecting supportmeans extending parallel to each other from said open end to said closedend, said support means including a lower portion and an upper portionof reduced width relative to said lower portion to provide, on each sidethereof, upwardly facing shoulders spaced above said floor whereby aconnector, having depending terminal pins, which may be placed in saidtray is positioned so that said terminal pins extend towards said floorin the space between adjacent support means and the two shoulders onrespective support means extending alongside that space receives arespective edge of said connector, said tray further having closuremeans attached to and extending downwardly from the floor adjacent saidopen end, said closure means being adapted to extend over the open endof a like tray on which said tray may be stacked.